Anyways, here is a couple of fun things I did and learned this week that in no way relate to presentations on mathematicians or papers about australian cultural stereotypes relationships to the aboriginal peoples:
Thursday, after frisbee practice, I went to the on campus bar with all the guys and gals on the team. Nothing crazy there, they go every week, and I finally bought a change of clothes to join them. Anyways, two things I learned:
1. In Australia, after happy birthday is sung, everyone always yells "Hip Hip HOORAY!" three times. I like this. They also have some crazy rhyme that involves chugging a beer, (it ends in "down, down, down, down, down.....) I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of these in America, but the bottom line is singing happy birthday last a lot longer here. haha
2. I finally had someone explain cricket to me. Never do I want to play this game. I would lose.
Friday I went to Manly and went surfing. I struggled this time, but the beach was gorgeous.
Today I volunteered with Hillsong City Care. The group I went with went to a suburb I have never been to and we ended up working in a lady's garden for like 4 hours weeding and mulching. It felt good to work with my hands again. The woman we helped was older, but she was also the full time caretaker for her elderly dad, who can't talk or walk anymore. Other than her dad she lives alone. She made some small talk with us before and after we worked and said she wanted to buy us cupcakes but Coles (one of the major grocery store chains here) was out. It was just clear that life was hard for her and that she was tired.
Anyways, after we finished some of the guys who have been doing this for a long time and helping her for a while talked about how much she had opened up and become "friendly" to us. They said she had moved from acting like she hired the volunteers and she was a client to being relatively kind and talking about her grandkids and stuff.
I only mention this because it was just a good reminder that love does change people.
Its cold here, to the point I am thinking about buying a space heater. Every morning when I have to force myself out from under the covers into the frigid air in my room I am kind of forced to remember that it summer back home...
Song of the moment:
On the Ocean by Guster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU9zJDBu66M
Peace and Joy,
Boyer
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